From Kindergarten to Grown Men



C. Maher and C. Maynard

Twenty years ago this month, Denny and I walked our 5 year son in to his kindergarten classroom at Blaine Elementary in Seattle. This was his first day of school and he was excited, if not a bit wary. His teacher, a veteran of decades in the public school system, remarked that there was another young boy in class with the same first name: Christopher. Interestingly, the last names were remarkably close as well: Maher and Maynard.  Little did we know the two  would strike up a lasting friendship spanning those 20 years.

Our Chris and best buddy, Christopher attended grade school, middle school, and high school together. The boys shared after school activities, sleepovers, a passion for computers, gaming, and pranks.  They adopted the same nickname: "Topher" which then morphed into "Toe". In later years, the two "Toes" confessed to a wide range of questionable adventures, usually involving water and/or model rockets. Sigh.

"Toe", Laura, and "Toe"

These two boys attended different universities but both remained in Seattle, linked by proximity. When our son Chris and Heather married, Christopher supported his good friend as a groomsman and delivered a wonderful toast at the reception. In a mere blink of an eye, they had grown from kids into adults.

Last weekend, these guys bid each other goodbye as "Toe" drove his childhood friend, "Toe" downtown to catch the train to Seatac and a flight to Texas. "Toe" has a new job in Austin and leaves Seattle behind. I wasn't able to give this second son of mine a goodbye hug but we did talk on the phone while the two were enroute downtown. I pointed out to "Toe" that it was exactly 20 years ago that the two first met. Young boys become young men, their futures bright and full of promise.

I'll miss seeing "Toe" at our dinner table. I'll miss the laughs and reminiscing. The memories live on.  Good luck to you, "Toe".